Belief
by Besieged Infection
Summary: AU Roxas had considered soul-mates. He'd considered that maybe, just maybe, there was this one person out there that was perfect for him. But Roxas could face the facts. And then, sometimes, he just wanted to believe...


**Belief**

**A story by Besieged Infection**

**Standard Disclaimer Applies**

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Roxas had considered soul-mates.

He'd considered that maybe, just maybe, there was this one person out there that was perfect for him. That they were meant to be together in every shape, form, and direction possible. It would be love at first sight, and from there they'd have this undeniable connection between them and that they would live happily ever after for the remainder of the world's existence. (Or at least until the Apocalypse kicked in.)

But Roxas could face the facts.

If there was just one perfect person meant for him then what happened if they died? Hated him? Was the same gender? Comatose? What about those people? Were they in the equation?

The fact was that it just wasn't probable. People liked people. End of story. If he started to suddenly believe in soul-mates he'd have to believe in the Apocalypse- and the Easter Bunny, too.

But he sometimes wondered.

Sometimes Roxas would meet someone in the store and have a flash of them in something else- normally a black cloak, maybe not, and sometimes with a different hairstyle. Sometimes they were a completely different age. He'd have this connection to these people that he'd never seen before. One day, he spotted a musician on the street playing guitar for the passing pedestrians. He was really talented, but Roxas noted that he only used the top four notes. Then he'd have this flash of the musician in a long black cloak with his hair short and spiked up in this weird faux-hawk thing that left him a little confused as to why anyone would ever design such an atrocious hair-style.

Another time he'd run into a small boy about four years old asking him if he'd seen his mother in the local organic food market. The boy himself had an incredibly innocent disposition and a flawless face. The image his mind procured was a commanding man wise beyond his years with long blue hair cascading to his shoulders and a large x-shaped scar marring an otherwise handsome image.

Roxas had taken these events in stride, knowing it was just a trick of the imagination. At first he'd stared at the people, wondering why this happened, but he'd eventually come to ignore it.

Heaving a sigh, Roxas turned a corner into an alleyway in an attempt to cut two blocks off his way home. His footsteps were heavy, though he didn't know why. It'd been like that a lot, lately. He just couldn't get a spring into his step- like something was missing. A few steps later he heard a door burst open in front of him, drawing his eyes to the source of the noise. There stood a guy in a white chef's ensemble, tossing a bag of trash into a dumpster just outside the door. Roxas took no notice of the man until he turned around and he got a good look at the guy.

A long black cloak draped over the bony form of a man in his early twenties. Long, shocking red hair spiking backwards in an almost intimidating manner. Tattoos of upside down tear drops were placed directly below a pair of sharp green eyes.

Then the image faded, only to be replaced with the image of a thin man with hair pulled back into a tight pony-tail at the base of his neck. He had no tattoos, and was possibly a little younger than the image dictated him to be, and for the first time in years Roxas stared. Oddly enough, the man stared back. A thin line of connection ran between them, and Roxas couldn't help the urge to be near the older man- to be his friend. A warmth pooled deep in the pit of his stomach, and his entire body seemed to go light in wonder and… something he couldn't name.

"Axel?" The word- name?- slipped from Roxas' lips before the boy could stop himself. He didn't know where it had come from, just that it was there. It seemed to fit the man in every way from his thin wrists to the way his hair curled just a little bit at the ends.

"Lea- get back in here!" a voice called from beyond the door.

"Coming," the man called back, sparing Roxas one more glance before going back in and closing the door behind him.

Silence.

Blinking the event away, Roxas continued his walk home as if nothing had changed. The alleyway did, in fact, cut two blocks off his journey home, but he didn't notice that. Didn't notice that the old spring was back in his stride, and every step he took didn't drag on into infinity in its own odd depressing way.

All he could really comprehend was that this wasn't something as amazing or life-changing as finding your soul-mate. It was just a chance encounter; just like any other moment of the day where you come into contact with someone you don't know. Someone you didn't plan to meet.

But he just couldn't help but wonder who this 'Lea' person was.

At that point, he didn't mind believing in the Easter Bunny, and the Apocalypse really didn't seem all that bad.

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**End Note: No, I am NOT coming out of break, once more. This just popped into my head, like "How to Kill a Nobody". Anyways, thankies SO MUCH to Zenelly for beta-ing this one-shot on such short notice! She's such an amazing help. Check out her stories, okay?**

**Love,**

**Besieged Infection**


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